Self-reefing sail for canoes, &amp;c.



No. 637,6l9. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

L. A. KIMBALL.

SELF-KEEPING SAIL FOR CANUES, &C-

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1397.) (No Model 3 Sheets-$heet l.

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No. 63mm. Patented um). 2|, I899. v

L. A. KIMBALL. SELF-REEFING SAIL FOR CANOES, 8L0.

(Appdcatlon filed F81). 8 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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NTTED STATES PATENT Clarion...

LUGIAN A. KIMBALL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SELF-REEFING SAIL FOR CANOES, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,619, dated November21, 1899. Application filed February 8,1897. Serial No. 622,490. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIAN A. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Providence, in the State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Self-Reefing Sail-Rig for Canoesand Small Boats, of which the following is a specification.

Sail-rigs heretofore used on canoes and small boats have not been safeor convenient to handle for the reason that they could not be quicklyreefed in an emergency nor could they be hoisted, reefed, or loweredwithout the boatman changing his position in the boat, and therebyincreasing the liability to'capsize. Again, the multiplicity of ropesand halyards, necessarily used with such rigs, lying loose about thedeck were liable to become fouled or tangled, and thus renderedinoperative in an emergency, and were, moreover, the cause of greatdelay and trouble in removing the rig from or applying it to the boat.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a sail-rig for canoes andsmall boats which can be hoisted, reefed, and lowered without theboatman leaving his seat in the boat, which will require the use of fewlines or halyards, thereby removing the liability to foul, which willhave no loose lines or rope lying about the deck to get fouled, andwhich can be readily removed from the boat and easily and quickly riggedthereon.

In ordinary-sized sail-rigs made according to 'my invention the weightof the sail in dropping causes the boom to revolve and wind.

the sail upon it to reef quickly and surely. In case the-sail is so verysmall that possibly its weight would not be sufficient in dropping torevolve the boom a haul-downline secured at one end to a point near thedeck and running up through a ring or block attached to the under sideof the batten of the sail and extending aft under said batten withineasy reach of the boatman serves as an effective means forpulling downon the sail, and thereby revolving the boom to reef the sail. Saidhaul-down line also serves as a means for fastening the boom, batten,sail, and extensionmast (where one is used) together for removal fromthe boat.

The novel constructions, combinations, and arrangement of the severalparts of my invention will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing mysail-rig in its raised position applied to a canoe. Fig 2 is anelevation showing the sheet rigged with a traveler. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the sail, showing the sail reefed or rolled up on the boomand the batten lying upon the latter. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating thearrangement of the cleats and hoist-halyards when the sail is raised.Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the arrangement of the same parts of therig when the sail is reefed. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a plan and aside elevation of the rope adjusting and fastening'device. Fig. 8 is anelevation showing the manner of fastening a ring to the batten or boomand also the device for securing the bight of a rope to such ring. Fig.9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section on line 10 10of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is an elevation showing the top'rigging and thearrangement of the halyards and the halyard-blocks, with theextension-mast shown broken away at each end. Fig. 12 is an elevationshowing the device for securing the batten to the mast and theextension-mast to the batten. Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 13 of Fig.12. Fig. 14. is a section on line 14 14 of Fig. '12 Fig. 15 is anelevation showing the manner of securing the boom to the deck. Fig. 16is an end view of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an enlarged vertical section ofthe device shown in Fig. 15. Fig.

18 is an elevation of the halyard-cleat. Figs. 1

19 and 20 are respectively a side and an end elevation of the jam-cleatfor securing the sheet, the ends of the sheet, and hoist-halyard. Figs.21 and 22 are respectively a front and an edge view showing the mannerof detachably securing the sheet-rope to the boom and batten. Figs. 23and 2a are respectively a side and an end elevation of the loose ringsupporting the outer end of the boom and showing thearrangement of thetop-lift and sheet lines thereat. Figs. 25 and 26 are respectively anelevation and a plan view of the snatch-block by which theextension-mast is raised and lowered. Figs. 27

and 28 are respectively an edge and a side which supports the blocks 3and 4, through which, respectively, are run the hoist and toplift lines5 and 6.

The batten 25 is secured at its inner. end

to a yoke 24, made in two parts boltedtoi gether to form twooppositely-directed pairs of jaws, the larger of which is adapted toslide freely vertically of the mast and also to swing freely laterallyon the mast. In the smaller jaws is inserted the inner end of thebatten, which is firmly held therein by a collar 26, adapted to becrowded upon the inclined sides of said yoke for binding purposes, Figs.12 and 13. Said collar is provided on its under sidewith an eye throughwhich is rove the downhaul-line 7 O and on its upper side with a lug orear in which is hinged for vertical or lateral movements a yoke orU-shap'ed strap 28, provided with tapered sides and adapted to receiveand hold the lower end of the extension-mast 27, which is firmly securedtherein by a collar adapted to be crowded thereon in the same manner asthe one which binds the batten and its yoke together. collar 26 is alsoprovided with apertures to receive and fasten one end of thereefing-line 23, Fig. 14.

The extension-mast 27 and the connected batten 25, yoke 24,- and sailare raised and lowered by means of the hoisthalyard 5, whichis securedatone end to a sliding ring 29 upon the mast 2, and passing through asnatch-block 30 is run through the hoist-block 3, thence down alongsidethe mast 2 and through another block at or near the deck, and then aftwithin reach of the boatman. The haul-down line is secured at one end toa ring 71, secured upon the batten 25, and running through the eye onthe under side of the collar 24 and thence downward is fastened to theboom-holding device, hereinafter described. The snatch-block 30 is ofnovel construction. It is a block-sheave through which the halyard isrove, and it is provided with a hook integral with the block, adaptedfor removable engagement with a ring 35, lashed or otherwise firmlysecured to the extensionmast 27, and with means for looking it upon saidring. 7 To this end it is provided with an eye 36, in which is looselysecured an elliptical ring 32, in turn provided with notches or offsetsa a a and adapted for engagement with the outwardly-turned end of thehook 33 and can be readily turned to prevent the block from becomingdisengaged from the ring and also to permit the removal of the blockfrom said ring, Figs. 25 and 26. I In cases where it is desired to bringthe exten- Said sion-mast in closer to the toast 2 I prefer to use themodified form of block shown in Figs. 27 and 28, where the hook 81 islocated below the sheave instead of at one side thereof, and thelocking-ring 84 instead of being fastened by engagement of notches withthe hook is locked by a pivoted latch 83.

Instead of securing the 'boom 7 upon the mast in the usual way I haveinvented a novel device (illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 15, 16, and 17)whereby theinner end of the boom is mounted independently of the mastand is adapted for independent pivotal, vertical, and revolublemovements, as well as for easy unshipping and removal. In a housing 8 isjournaled-a spool or pulley 9, axially bored and key-slotted toremovably receive a spindle 10, provided with (preferably) an integralkey, and also on one end with a groove 11 and at its opposite end with athimble 12, in which is secured the inner end of the boom 7. Saidspindle is removably held in the axial bore in said pulley and housingby means of a removable transverse bolt (or preferably a spring-pin) 13,held in the oppositely-located lateral lugs 8 8 (preferably integralwith the housing 8,) suitably bored for the purpose, so

that it will engage with the groove 11, Figs.

15 and 17; and when 50 connected said spindle is revoluble with and bysaid pulley. Said housing 8 is provided further withdownwardly-extending lugs 8 8 adapted for engagement with the upwardly-extending jaws 14 and 15 of the pintle 16, and pivotally securedtherein by a transverse bolt 17, passed through said jaws and lugs, Fig.16. Said pintle extends downthrough the deck, with freedom to turntherein, and is there removably secured. In this connection I prefer touse a deck-plate 18 as a bearing-surface upon which the whole device canrest and in which said pintle is free to turn-as the boom is swung inits horizontal plane. It will thus .be seen that by the use of theabove-described device the boom isadapted to perform three independentmovementsnarnel y, revoluble, lateral, and verticalthe boom be ingrevolubly supported at its outer end in-a loose ring 20, through whichis run the endlesstop-lift line 6, Figs. 23 and 24.

- The top-lift line 6 in my present invention is made endless, andinstead of being secured at the top of the mast 2, as is customary, isrove through'a double block 4 and through a ring 22, through whichlatter is also rove the reefing-line 23, Fig. 11. This combination andarrangement of the top-lift and reefing lines (which is novel) enablesme to utilize the weight of the outer end of theboorn 7 to thereby keepthe reefing-line taut at all times. The reefing-line 23 is secured atone end to the spool or pulley 9, and at its other end is secured to theeye on the upper side of the yoke-collar 26 and is unwound from saidspool as the sail is lowered or reefed and wound thereon as the sail ishoisted.

I have also provided as a part of this sailrig a novel device forfastening the ends of a rope together, so as to admit of adjustment asdesired. This device consists of a button 40, having a number ofperforations through which the ends of the rope are passed in suchmanner that each end will underlie a bight of the rope, Figs. 6 and 7,and be thereby clamped against the surface of the button. Requiredadjustment of the rope is attained by loosening the bight and drawingthe rope to or fro through the button, as may be necessary, andthentightening the bight again. The stronger the strain on the rope themore firmly will the ends of the rope be held.

Where it is necessary to fasten a rope (especially a braided rope) to aring or spar or to splice a braided rope, I use a collar 45, throughwhich I pass the rope and again draw the end back through said collar toform a bight about the fastening-point and there secure it by a pin orbolt 46, passed through said collar from side to side and between thetwo portions of the rope within said collar, thereby crowding themagainst the sides of the collar and firmly holding them. Upon removal ofthe pin the rope can be withdrawn. Instead of fastening the sheet 50 inthe usual way I fasten one end of it to the front of the housing 9 nearthe deck and reeve it through the eyes in the body of the sheethook 51,thence through a ring or block 53, depending from the loose ring 20 onthe outer end of the boom,'back through a ring 52, depending from thesheet-hook 51, and thence to a jam-cleat 54, secured to the seat or boatnear the seat. when a traveler is used, the sheet 50 is run, as before,through the ring I 20, then through the traveler 90, and then throughthe ring 52 to the jamcleat. The sheet-hook 51 is hooked into a ring 60(lashed or secured to the under side of the boom) when the sail israised. When the sail is reefed, the said hook 51 is hooked into a ring71, secured to the under side of the batten 25, and thus assists inholding the sail in reef.

The operation of my invention is as follows: To apply the rig to theboat, the boom, batten, sail, and extension-mast being already connectedtogether, the inner end of the boom is secured in the housing 8, asalready described, the loose ring 20 (through which are rove the endlesstop-lift line 6 and the sheet 50) is slipped on over the outer end ofthe boom, the sheet-hook 51 hooked into the ring 60, the resting-line 23secured at one end to the eye on the upper side of the collar 26 and atits opposite end to the pulley 9, the hauldown line rove through the eyeon the under side of the collar 26 and tied into the lug 8 of thehousing, the snatch-block 30 secured to the ring 35 on theextension-mast, and the whole raised by means of the hoisthalyard 5. Itwill be seen that the reefingor pulley 9 as the sail is raised andunwound therefrom as the sail is lowered. To reef the sail, thehoist-halyard 5 is unhooked from cleat d, allowing the batten, extensionmast, and sail to drop and by their weight, exerted through thereefing-line 23, to cause the sheave 9 and boom '7 to revolve, andthereby wind the sail upon the boom until the batten lies upon the boom,the hook 51 being unhooked from the ring 60 and, after reefing, hookedinto the ring 71 on the batten to assist in holding the sail in reef. Incase the weight of the descending parts is not suflicient to operate thereefing-line to revolve the sheave and boom, the haul-down line 70affords means for applying the power necessary for that purpose. Thesail, batten, boom,and extension-mast can be quickly removed from theboat, leaving the halyards, reefing-line, and all blocks on the boat inproper and convenient position for applying the removed parts whendesired quickly and without liability to foul or tangle any of theropes. To effect this, the sail is reefed, as above described, but thehoist-halyard is further slackened by unhooking it from the cleat 0,allowing the extension-mast to be swung down until it lies upon thebatten and boom, the hauldown line 70 is unfastened from the lug S anddrawn out of the eye on the under side of the collar 26, thereefing-line unfastened from said collar and secured to said lug, and,the hook 51 being free, the loose ring 20 is slipped ofi over the end ofthe boom and fastened to a cleat at the stern of the boat, and the boomunshipped by withdrawing the spring-pin 13. The sail, batten, boom, andextension-mast can then be rolled up together and there secured bywinding the haul-down line about them. The hoist-halyard, reefingline,sheet, mast, and all blocks will thus remain on the boat properlysecured in position ready for use when the removed parts are to be againrigged on the boat. If desired, the mast and all the lines and halyardsand blocks can be removed together from the boat by releasing thepintle, fastening below the deck and unshipping the mast, and the boatbe used with paddles or oars.

In the sail illustrated the batten is about four feet above the boomwhen the sail is hoisted, and consequently about four feet is thelengthof sail (in this case) that is rolled up on the boom in reefing. Agreater or less amount of reef may be required in different boats withlarger or smaller sails.

It is obvious that unless cushioned in some manner the inner end of thebatten and extension-mast when lowered would be liable to drop with toogreat force upon the boom and the device for supporting its inner end.To obviate this liability, I have invented a novel arrangement of cleatsto which the hoist-halyard is secured. I secure to the inside caming ofthe boat three cleats b, c, and d, arranged in line with each other, andthe two aftermost cleats c and d separated just half I boom and itsholding device.

the length of the reef, (as illustrated in the drawings they would beabout two feet apart,) be it more or less. The hoist-halyard being rovethrough the block at the foot of the mast and its lower end beingfastened to the cleat b, the bight' is carried aft with a hitch aroundthe cleat-hook c, and thence farther aft is hooked over the cleat (1.Its length is so adjusted that the batten-yoke at its lowest positionwill be about one inch above the When it is desired to reef, the halyardis unhooked from the cleat d and let run until stopped by the cleat c.It will be seen that the halyard is thus allowed to run out double thedistance from cleat c to cleat d, or, in the case illustrated,about fourfeet,and that the downward movement of the batten and extension-mast isstopped just before they reach the boom.

For the cleats c d and the cleat for securing the end of the sheet tothe stern or seat of the boat I prefer to use the jam-cleat invented byme and shown in Figs. 19 and 20. This cleat is provided with a rigid arm54 and an eccentrically mountedrevoluble j aw-piece 55, so adjusted thata single turn of a rope about the cleat will slip freely therein,butupon the rope being carried a second time around the cleat the jaw-piece55 will be revolved to firmly clamp the rope and prevent it fromslipping.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In asail-rig, a boom revolubly supported at each end, and mountedindependently of the mast for pivotal and vertical movement,

means for releasably securing and supporting the inner end of said boom,and other means for revolubly supporting its outer end, a batten mountedfor pivotal and vertical movemeans for hoisting and lowering said sailand batten, and other means for revolving said boom, all combined witheach other and with a mast and deck of a boat, and arranged and adaptedtoserve as specified. I

2. In a sail-rig, a boom mounted independ ently'of the mast, for pivotaland vertical movement, and revolubly supported at its ends, meansiforreleasably supporting its inner end, and other means for revolublysupporting its outer end, combined with each other and with the hull andmast.

3. In a sail-rig, a boom mounted independently of the mast for pivotaland vertical when the batten and extension-mast are low-- ered, and tounwind the sail when the last named parts are Qhoisted.

4;. A self-reefing sail-rig, consisting of a boom mounted independentlyof the mast for pivotal and vertical movement, and revolubly supportedat its ends, a batten mounted for pivotal and vertical movement, anextension-mast mounted on the innerend of said batten for pivotalmovement thereon and vertical movement therewith, said batten andextension-mast being provided with hoisting means in common, areefing-line secured at one end to the batten near its inner end, and atits other end secured to the inner end of the boom, an endless top-liftline rove through a ring or block common to it and the reefing line, allcombined with each other and with a sail, mast andihull of a boat.. 5.An endless top-lift line, a reefi'ng-lin'e, and a ring or blockcommon toboth, combined with each other and with the mast, batten and boom, andadapted to'serve and operate together as a means for the automaticregulation-of the tension of the reeling-line.

6. In a sail-rig, a batten mounted for'pivot-al and vertical movement,an extensionmast mounted on the inner endpf said bat ten for pivotalmovement thereon and verti cal movement therewith, combined with eachother and with a mast and hoisting means.

7. In a sail-rig, .a yoke provided with horizontally-extending opemjaws, whereby it is mounted on the mast for pivotal and verticalmovement, and with other open jaws extending in the opposite directionfrom the firstmentioned jaws,a'nd adapted to receive the innor end ofthe batten, a collar or sleeve adapted to compress said last-mentionedjaws upon said batten, and provided with a'superimposedvertically-directed slot, a batten, an extension-mast mounted forpivotal and Vertical movement in said slot, combined with each other andwith a mast and hoisting means, all arranged as shown and adapted toserve as and for the purposes specified.

8. In a sail-rig, a yoke mounted for pivotal and vertical movement, andprovided with means for holding the inner end of abatten, and also witha superimposed vertically-directed slot or aperture, a-batten having itsinner end secured in said yoke, an extensionmast mounted for pivotalmovement in said slot, and for vertical movement with said yoke, andmeans for hoisting the whole, combined with each other and with a mast,and arranged and adapted to serve as and for the purposes specified.

9. In a sail-rig, a boom mounted independshown and described, to assistthe downward movement of said batten and extension-mast, combined witheach other and with the sail, mast and hull of a boat.

10. A boom, 7, having an axially-directed spindle-shaped inner end,10,'grooved near its extremity, as at 11, a housing, 8, a pulley, 9,revolubly mounted in said housing,and adapted to releasably receive andhold said spindle, combined with each other and with means as a pin, 13,for releasably securing said spindle in said housing and pulley.

11. The described means for supporting the inner end of the boom,independently of the mast, for revoluble, pivotal and vertical movement,said means consisting of a housing, 8, a spool or pulley, 9,revolublymounted therein, and a pintle, 16, pivotally secured to saidhousing, combined with each other and with a deck or other support, andwith means for pivotally securing said pintle therein.

12. In a sail-rig of the character herein described, the described meansfor adjustably securing the ends of ropes together, said meansconsisting of a button 40, provided with a number of apertures, as shownand described, adapted to permit the passage through them of the ends ofthe rope in such manner that each end will underlie a bight of the ropeand be thereby clamped against the surface of the button.

13. In a sail-rig of the character herein described, the combinationwith a mast 27, mast-ring 35, and hoist-halyards,' of a detachablesnatch-block, 30, having a shell provided with an integral exteriorlylocated hook, 33, a sheave revolubly mounted in said shell, and meansfor releasably locking the Whole to the sail.

14. The combination of the sheet 50, sheethook 51, block or ring 53,ring 20, ring 52, housing 9, with the boom and means for releasablysecuring the free end of the sheet 50.

15. The combination of the sheet 50, sheethook 51, block or ring 53,ring 20, ring 52, housing 9, ring 60, boom 7, and means for releasablysecuring the free end of the sheet 50.

16. The combination of the sheet 50, sheethook 51, block or ring 53,ring 20, ring 52, housing 9, boom 7, batten 25, and ring 71, with themast and sail, all arranged and adapted to serve as specified to assistin holding the sail in reef.

17. In a sail-rig, the combination with a boom releasably supported atits ends, of a sheet secured at each of its ends independently of saidboom, and means for releasably securing said sheet at a point near theend of said boom and also at another point intermediate of the length ofsaid boom.

'18. In a sail-rig, the combination with a mast, and a boom mountedindependently of said mast, and releasably supported at each end, of anendless top-lift line releasably secured to the outer end of said boom.

19. In a sail-rig having a mast, a boom mounted independently of saidmast, and releasably supported at its ends, an endless toplift linereleasably secured to the outer end of said boom and serving as asupport thereof, a batten, a sail secured to said boom and batten, andmeans for hoisting and lowering said batten and sail, the combinationwith said parts of a reefing-line having one of its ends secured to saidbatten and its other end releasably secured independently of saidbatten, and a ring or block common to said toplift and reefing lines.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of twowitnesses, this 4th day of February, 1897.

LUOIAN A. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM ELY, ROBERT FESSENDEN.

